Apparatus for cleaning containers



Jan. 24', 1928.

D. A. DOUGHERTY APPARATUS FOR CLEANING CONTINERS Original Filed April 13, 1925 lill 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 ff@ z- Jan. 24, 1928.

. 1,657,072 D. A. DOUG HERTY- APPARATUS FOR CLEANING CONTAINERS Original Filed April 13, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENTOR; Bam'aZAwg/wrzj,

Jan. 24, 1928. 1,657,072

D. A. DOUGHERTY APPARATUS FOR CLEANING CONTAINERS original Filed April 15, 1925 3 sheets-sneer 5 WTNESSES-` INVENTOR- ATTORNEY .Patente-d Jan. 24, 1928.

UNITED STATES DANIEL A.. DOUGHERTY, F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS l'.E'OR CLEANING- CONTAINERS.

Original application nledvAprii 13, 1925, Serial No. 22,575. Divided and this application tiled November 26, 1926.

' My invention relates to apparatus for cleaning containers, such as barrels, drums and milk cans and more partlcularly to the apparatus described in my application for Letters Patent on method for cleanlngcontainers of which this application'is a division.

rThe usual method requires use of steam, water and a cleaning compound, and various W operations in different sequences to suit the particular type of containers.

The chief objection to these methods 1s that the use of a cleaning compound, the waste. oi' the water used in rinsing, the generation m and maintenance of the steam, and the several operations required, make them slow and costly.

VThe objects of my invention are to provide apparatus by which containers may be W cleaned and rinsed in one operation without use ot a cleaning compound; by which the cleaning water may be heated with a small quantity of heat, and by which waste of cleaningand rinsing water 1s elimmated.

These objects, and other advantageous ends which will be described hereinafter, I attain in the following manner, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a central section, partly diagrammatic, oi' apparatus made in accordance with my invention,

Figure 2 aplan view of the apparatus p shown in Figure 1,

liigure 3 an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line 3--3 of Figure 2,

Figure l1 an enlarged view of the container shown in Figure 1, illustrating the action ot the water thereon.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates a well; 2 a suitable pump, diagrammatically illustrated, connected to the well by a pipe 3 tor lifting the water from the well; 4 a heater connected with the pump; 5 horizontal 45 water pipes connected, with the heater; 6 upright nozzles connected with the horizontal water pipes; 7 troughs in which the nozzles and water pipes are mounted and hereinafter called nozzle troughs; 8 troughs above 50 which the containers are conveyed for draining the liquid therefrom, hereinafter called container troughs; 9 drain traps in the troughs for receiving water from the troughs, and 10 a pipe line connecting the Serial No. 150,997.

drain traps with each other and with the well. A suitable check valve 11, a controlling valve 12, a strainer 13, a gage 14, and a thermometer are connected to the apparatus to eiiicientlycontrol the same.

Heater i consists of a tubular casing 16 having a Y casting 17 connected thereto. A steam pipe 18 is disposed concentrically in casing 16 and has perorations 19 inclined to the axis of the pipe and leading yforwardly and outwardly. The perforations increase in size toward the forward end of the pipe. .ln actual practice I have obtained good results by making a group of perforations, 20, 1/8 of an inch in diameter, a group, 21, -136 of an inch in diameter and a-group, 22, l, of an inch in diameter. Perorated pipe 18 isconnected by an elbow and a pipe 23 with a steam line 24 and casting 17. The connection to one branch of the Y-casting is made by threading pipe 23 to a ange 25 secured to the branch. The other branch of the casting is connected with the water line leading to the pump. The discharge end 26 ot the heater casing is connected with the water line 5 leading to the nozzles.

Nozzle troughs 7 are provided withk cross bars 27 to which pipes 5 are clamped by U-shaped bolts 28. Angle bars 29 are secured at opposite sides of troughs 7 and 8 to reinforce the corners and serve to suport the containers while being cleaned or rolled to the cleaning position. Drain traps 9 are preferably disposed near the end of the trough. A strainer 30 is placed over each drain trap to prevent solid matter from passing therein. The drain traps are connected to each other by ipe line 10.

Each nozzle is prefere ly made up of a pipe 31 and a series of pipe sections 32. The pipe sections are threaded one within the other and each has .perforations arranged at a different angle. The perforations of the upper section lead upwardly and outwardly, those of the middle section lead sideways and those of the lower section lead downwardly and outwardly. Arranging the peri'orations in this manner causes the water jets to issue therefrom at diierent angles and be deiiected against the sides of the container as indicated in Figure d. This action loosens and washes away the oul matter from the interior of the container.

in trough 7 with the nozzle extending `with` in the vcontainer through itsopening., The water is then turned on b` openmg valve 35. Water raised from t e low level. of4

well 1 is placed under pressure by pump 2 and heated in heater 4 by steam passlng out of the perforations 19 into the water. Mak-k ing the perforations small and increasing in. size toward the forward end of the .p1pel largely eliminates the rattling noisel usually present in heaters of thistype. This is due to the small amount of steam passed throu h the group of perforations 20 to slighty heat the water before it passes the group of perforations 2l. This group allows more steam to pass into the water to raise lts temperature before it reaches the group of perforations 22. The water is raised to such temperature at 'this point that the amount of steam passing through perforations 22 will not cause a loud rattling noise. Inclining the perforations in the direction of the flow of the Water causes the steam to assist the How and increase the velocity of the water. The How of steam and water is so regulated that the water will be heated toa temperature not exceeding its boiling point under the pressure. After the water is' heated, it passes under pressure through pipe 5 and out of the perforations in nozzle 6. The interior of the container being under atmospheric pressure, which is lower than the pressure of the water in the heater, causes the heat in the water to change a part of the water into steam. The steam loosens the foul matter and the water carries it out of the container. The jets of steam and water issuing from the lower pipe section of the nozzle, agitate the water and foul matter at the bottom of the container so that the foul matter is carried away with the water. The water and foul matter are drained from the trough into trap 9 and from the trap through pipe l0 to the low level of well l. If'the foul-matter is oil it may be reclaimed by drainin it off through an overflow pipe 36 in tie well. The watermay thus be kept clean and used again. n

After the containeris cleaned the water is shut oif and the container removed from the nozzle and placed onfangle bars 29 of container trough 8.4 Ehe, outside of the container is then cleaned by a hose 37 connected to any part of the pipe line for receiving the hot Water under pressure. The action of the hot water on the foul matter on the outside of the 4drum is similar to the action on the foul matter on the inside. After the outside of the container is cleaned, any water re-` maining in it is removed. The container is then dried by blowing heated air into the container in any suitable manner, such as by placing thecontainers over upright hot air pipes ,arranged like the nozzles 6 or b blowing the hot air into the container wit a hose similar to the hose 37. The container being heated by. Vthe hot water while cleaned, greatly assists the drying action and shortens the time for drying.

W ith the apparatus above described, containers may bel quickly cleaned without the use of cleaning compounds and without costly maintenance and generation of steam since the hot water after performing its cleaning function returns to the well to be used a ain.

Whi e I have described my invention as taking a particular form, it will be understood that the various parts may be changed lwithout departing from the spirit thereof,

and hence I do not limit myself to the precise construction set forth, but consider that I am at liberty to make such changes and a1- terations as fairly come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is l. Apparatus for cleaning containers consisting of a well; a pump connected for lifting water from the Well and placing it under pressure; a heater connected with the pump for heating the water under pressure; a water pipe connected with the heater; upright nozzles connected with the pipe; a trough beneath the pipe; a drain trap in the trough, and a drain pipe connecting the trap with the well.

2. Apparatus for cleaning containers consisting of a well; a pump for lifting the water from the well and placing it under pres sure; a heater casing connected with the pump; a heater for heating the water under pressure in said casing; a water pipe connected with the heater casing; nozzles connected with the pipe; a trough beneath said pipe; a drain trap in the trough, and a drain connecting the trap with the well.

3.`Apparatus for cleaning containers consisting of a well; a pump for lifting the water from the well and placing it under pressure; a tubular heater casing connected with the pump; a heater for heating the water under pressure in said casing; a water pipe connected with the heater casing; nozzles connected with the pipe for discharging the water, and means for draining the water back into the well.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

' DANIEL A. DOUGHERTY. 

